Totem or not a Totem

[kcam]

There has been a few mentions of totem carving in a few recent threads. I enjoy experimenting with chainsaw sculpting when I get a chance, some time ago I had a few trees lopped from my yard leaving the stumps long enough to practice honing my chainsaw "skills". I am posting one of my attempts at a "totem", you will note that there is no cultural connotations what so ever it was a result of how I felt on the day.........I ask, does chainsaw sculpting come under the banner WOODCARVING AND SCULPTURE ?
Just thought that I would throw this one in and see what replies come back.
Cheers
Kerry

[watson]

Geez Kerry,
You're muddying the waters here with "logic"
IMHO to determine if an object is a carving or a totem..........you'd have to use your dictionary to define the terms.
If its a carving or a sculpture...again...check the Funk & Wagnels or the Oxford....and the most relevant point ( To me on this day) is "how I felt on the day".

[Robson Valley]

That's a carved pole and a striking one at that.

In my small corner of the world, a "totem" is an image, usually a visual representation, of some important factor in a person's or family's life and cultural heritage. Stack them up and we have a totem pole. Now maybe I got it wrong but there seems to be a parallel in Australian Aboriginal art in which the artists depict things from their Dreaming.

I don't have any of those (but sloth and pig come to mind) nor can I attach any iconography to the carvings of what I 'see' in any piece of wood.

Perhaps the carvings on the pole tell a story. Under What's New in the Jasper National Park website, you can see the new "story pole" being carved by the Edenshaw brothers which will be erected in ceremony in Jasper, July 16. It is the story of two brothers. I will be there while they are "Carvers in Residence" to finish the pole in the week prior to the ceremony. (2.5hrs east of my place.)

[Robson Valley]

. . .. . does chainsaw sculpting come under the banner of Wood Carving and Sculpture. . . ?"

To me, most certainly. the works range from affordable to monumental. There is a company in the city of Prince George, BC which specializes in jointing and gluing up the blocks used in competition ( maybe 1.5m X 1.5m x 3m ).
The international competitions are stunning events to attend.

As I generally fail in my attempts to post links to information,

Google chainsaw+carving+Chetwynd as an example.

Chetwynd is a small, forest-industry driven community some hours north of me.

[underfoot]

I ask, does chainsaw sculpting come under the banner WOODCARVING AND SCULPTURE ?

Of course it does kcam, ..and it's a totem if you say it is..and it's art if you say it is..
Remember , YOU made it..You tell people what it is..(until someone with a big wad of money wants to buy it...then it's whatever they want it to be)
Nice sculpt BTW kcam

[artme]

Who cares what you call it Kerry. It looks good and would be happy in my garden.

[kcam]

Thanks guy's, just thought that I would throw in a comment for discussion.....will continue the story with a few more pics later...enjoy your Easter.
Kerry

[Robson Valley]

Kcam:
You do what you see in the wood. To me, that's the most profound insight of all. Sharpness, angularity, multiple and parallel cuts, those are the things which speak to me.
I have no appetite to get into mystical/iconographic crud.
However, what you thought, on the day it happened, = I'm delighted.

[kcam]

The "totem" is just a part of my journey in trying to master the chainsaw, particularly in the form of sculpture. It started during the planning of a club woodcraft expo when it was suggested that chainsaw sculpting would be a good addition to the program. Muggins me agreed to be demonstrator, starting a steep learning curve, having never sculptured with a chainsaw before....anyway I chose to chainsaw a full size pelican for my first attempt. My confidence was enhanced when a chap made an offer to buy it when it was only basically roughed out....he continually pestered me until I agreed to sell.I regret that decision as I have not been able to repeat the effort.
During the journey I have practiced/demonstrated on several lumps of timber and a selection is posted for comment. It has been fun and I have a lot to learn.
Kerry

[Robson Valley]

Love the chooks!
I marvel how the chainsaw carvers can rev up the saw and shove it straight into the block. No drawings, no guidelines, away they go. In finishing, they're going _sideways_ with the little detail saw, the bar tip appears to be about 3cm across.
I can't get anything to look right without a lot of time with a pencil & paper. When I've convinced myself that I really like the drawing, then I go to the wood. I guess what I see in a block is more of a concept than a detailed image.

I used to have a summer house not far from the biggest inland white pelican rookery in North America on Last Mountain Lake. Once they get into the daytime thermals, I think they fly for free. Stately birds.

[artme]

All good Kerry!! Like the fact that you are experimenting with diphpherent phorms and having great success! keep at it!